Love and the Game of Quidditch
by v-laa
Summary: This is a Oliver Wood, Harry and Cho Chang love triangle. I wrote it cos Wood ROX and the Quidditch team are just too nice to each other!
1. The Quidditch Match

Harry winced. The bright morning sun was streaming onto the quidditch field. Today was the match against Ravenclaw, and everybody knew there wouldn't be much competition, but even so Oliver Wood was giving his usual prep speech, "Now, I won't pretend it's going to be an easy match out there. They've been training hard all week because they know how good we are, so I don't want any slacking off, here's the plan, Harry, the first move is to.." Oliver's voice trailed off. Now, this was very unusual. Taken by surprise at the sudden halt to Wood's speech, the Gryffindor Quidditch team turned to the door. It was Cho Chang. Harry turned away discreetly and blushed, staring at Oliver. Oliver was blushing too. "Madam Hooch says that you'll have to come out now, the game is starting early because Professor Dumbledore wants to watch it before going to London."  
  
"Uhhh. th-thanks Cho Chang. Good luck in the game!" said Wood in an unusually high voice, his cheeks scarlet.  
  
"Hey Wood," yelled Fred "Someone has a little cru-ush! I think Harry will have something to say about that" The whole team laughed (except Harry and Wood) as they moved onto their broomsticks and flew up above the ground as Madam Hooch's whistle blew.  
  
The game was off to a rough start, with all players eager to do their best. However, despite expectations, Ravenclaw were clearly at an advantage. For some reason, Wood kept getting distracted and after 10 minutes, the score was 30 to 0. Harry had a strange feeling in his chest. Like he was annoyed at someone, but he didn't know why. He was sitting distracted on his broom, motionless except when dodging a stray bludger. Suddenly, Harry came back to the reality of the quidditch stadium as a huge roar erupted from the crowd. He looked below him and saw the Ravenclaw seeker, Cho Chang, diving towards a gold glint. A rush went through his clenched hands and he diverted his broomstick to rush head first down, down, down! Slowly, he gained on Cho Chang until finally they were level. They glanced at each other, looking back down only to realize this minute glance had made them both rush straight towards the pitch. There was a huge shriek from the crowd as impact happened, Cho Chang falling on Harry's stomach. She looked into his eyes for a second, but quickly averted them and pushed herself up on her elbows. "Cho Chang! Cho Chang! Are you okay?" Wood called, rushing over.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine." Said Cho. At that moment Harry noticed that the little snitch had its little wings beating helplessly against Cho's fingers. He didn't care though. He was in lots of pain, and his limbs felt like they were burning. "Oliver," said Harry weakly, "I think my leg's broken." But, it appeared, Wood was too occupied in covering the less wounded seeker, Cho Chang, with a blanket. "Wood, I appreciate your concern, but I think Harry needs some attending." Was the last thing Harry heard from Cho Chang as Madam Pomfrey put him on a stretcher and levitated him towards Hogwarts castle. 


	2. All Mixed Up

Hermione and Ron watched with gripped attention as Harry's eyes flickered open and close in the bright morning sunshine. The hospital wing was lonely and smelled of odd potions, as this was the time of day when remedies for the ill were brewed. "What happened, what's wrong with me?" asked Harry in a weak, quiet voice.  
  
"The fall was worse than everyone thought, Harry. You cracked a disc in your spine when Cho Chang fell on you. That's why it was so painful." Said Hermione knowingly.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey gave you some potion to help regrow the disc! Geez Harry, you really scared us!" Ron was obviously worried about his best friends state.  
  
"But, it won't take long to grow, will it? I mean, my next match is against Slytherin in two weeks, I can't let the team down!"  
  
Ron and Hermione looked at each other, obviously not wanting to say what Harry dreaded.  
  
"Listen Harry," Hermione didn't want to move on to the uncomfortable subject "We have to go to Charms now, we'll visit this afternoon."  
  
"Yeah, right. see ya Harry! We'll miss ya!" Ron was unusually relieved to leave, and Harry was now left pondering about why they were so eager to leave.  
  
"And guys, can you get Wood to-" the door slammed shut and Harry finished his sentence with a sigh "tell me whats going on."  
  
The sights and sounds of the hospital wing teamed with Madam Pomfrey's over protectiveness of her patients made for a dreary day. Over and over in his mind, Harry tried to figure out what the feeling inside his chest was. It was as if something that was rightfully his had been clenched out of his reach, so he had it, but only by his fingernails.  
  
At about one o clock, Ron and Hermione came back to visit him. "Guys, I'm not feeling real well. I'd prefer it if you left." Harry didn't want to sound too enthusiastic to get rid of them, but he felt all muddled inside, he wanted his inside emotions to be sorted out in private. Ron blushed and looked uncomfortable. It was not often that Harry refused the companionship of his friends, and his personality usually dictated that he would put up with them even if he despised their presence. So, naturally, Ron knew something was wrong with Harry. "Harry, we just needed to tell you."  
  
"Please, just leave." Harry interrupted. Without speaking, Hermione responded to Ron's pleading and helpless look, knowing he was hurt. "Fine, Harry, we'll go. We'll see you tomorrow, if you can be bothered talking to us." She sounded annoyed, and she was. How dare Harry punish us for his own feelings, she was thinking. As soon as they got outside the hospital wing, Ron said "Why is he like that, Hermione? I mean, it's like something is seriously wrong! We should've stayed and got it out of him!"  
  
"No," Hermione understood "I think it's something he has to sort out by himself."  
  
"Hi Oliver." Harry spoke drily as Oliver Wood walked into the hospital wing. For the first time ever, Wood looked put out by Harry. "Harry, this is so stupid. Why the hell didn't you pay attention during the bloody match? There's no way we can play the match against Slytherin without a seeker, and there's no other decent bloody seeker in Gryffindor! We're going to have to forfeit!" Harry felt hot rage burn up in him, and suddenly he knew that his clenching feeling was due to Oliver, but he didn't really know what he had done yet. "It wasn't my fault, Wood!" Harry said softly and coldly, "I just tried to get the snitch and missed. We've won so many times, it won't make a difference if Ravenclaw beat us once. It's not. my. fault."  
  
"Im leaving, Harry. Here's a note, from Cho." Wood threw a piece of parchment onto Harry's lap. Harry didn't like the way Wood referred to Cho Chang using just her first name. It sounded like they were good friends or something. Suddenly, Harry felt jealous that Cho would trust Wood with a seemingly personal letter! Was something going on between them? He opened up the letter:  
  
Harry, I'm sorry about the match, I probably should have let you win and then you wouldn't be in the hospital. Sorry! I'm sending this with Ol. Love Cho  
  
Harry saw Oliver's name written by Cho. Ol, it said simply. He knew that that meant they were very friendly. More than friendly, and with a sudden wave of jealousy, he scrunched up the note and fell asleep on his pillows. 


	3. Harry's confrontation

The two playfully echoed their way along the dark corridor. They giggled and giggled, laughing at nothing in particular. They held hands, not a care in the world, for the moment anyway. Suddenly they heard the swinging of a lantern, and hastened to the nearest classroom, still laughing quietly, closing the door behind them.  
  
"Oliver?" Cho whispered, "I know this is going to sound stupid, but, I feel guilty. I feel guilty about Harry."  
  
"Cho," Oliver said, deeply and sincerely, "I know Harry has a thing for you. But you can't feel guilty about it. It's not fair on you. And I know this is selfish, but it's not fair on me." Cho felt prickly tears at the back of her eyes, and she bit her bottom lip to stop them from falling. Why was Oliver always like this? He was always so nice, so reasonable. It was an obvious thing to say, that Harry had a 'thing' for her. Originally she had just thought it was a childish crush, one that would soon fade away. But it was clear that this was not going to happen. After the fateful Quidditch match, Wood had confronted Cho about his feelings for her. It was then she realized she felt the same way. And now, a month after that day, their relationship was still a secret, because Cho didn't want to hurt Harry, and Wood didn't want the loss of a star seeker. Wood now felt a deep disliking of Harry, because he didn't like the thought that another boy could steal the heart of Cho.  
  
"Listen, Harry, you'll really have to start eating something! Ten days since you got out of hospital and we're lucky to have you eat a piece of toast!" Hermione didn't understand. What could be wrong with Harry? Nothing important had happened lately and if something was really carving away at him, he would tell her and Ron. "Harry, come on, you can't tell us nothings wrong!" Ron said through a mouthful of chicken drumstick.  
  
"Just leave me alone! Nothing's wrong!" Harry had had enough, he jumped up from his seat and ran all the way back to the Gryffindor common room. "Pig hoof." He said the password sullenly to the fat lady.  
  
"Anything wrong, dearie?" she asked.  
  
"Let me in please." Harry was in no mood to talk about his problems, even to a painting.  
  
"Suit yourself." Came the reply as the fat lady swung open. Harry climbed through the hole and into the common room. It had been a warm day for winter, and the blazing fire made the room stuffy. He headed towards his bedroom, as he often did to watch the tiny people move around the Hogwart's grounds through the paneled window. He saw the large figure of Hagrid, sitting on his hut steps and playing his wooden flute. He saw various Hufflepuff students playing a chasing game. And he saw two figures locked in an embrace, one with ebony tresses, the other with cropped honey hair. After a few seconds he recognized both figures, and once again, his chest clenched and a white hot flush of anger engulfed him. He sprung to his feet and ran. He pushed past everyone in his wake, and never once stopped to catch his breath. As he ran out the huge door leading outside, he felt the cool breeze touch his burning cheeks. Harry caught site of Cho and Oliver, kissing, embracing on the perfectly manicured, lush green lawn. When he was about fifty metres away, he stopped, and noticed he had tears streaming down his pale skin. He wiped them away with the back of his hand, and trudged slowly forward. Wood suddenly broke away from Cho, he had seen Harry. "Wood," Harry said in a strong yet wobbly voice "I quit."  
  
"What Harry?" Wood sounded tense.  
  
"You heard me! I quit the Quidditch team! And I don't care what you think! I don't care if you give me a lecture on how I'm letting everyone down! Because, Wood, you've let me down!"  
  
Harry turned, leaving Wood astounded and started to walk back to the castle. He was in a daze. Had he really said all those things? Quidditch was the only thing that truly made him feel free, and he had quit. But he couldn't look weak to Wood, he had to quit now, so Oliver would realize he wasn't just talk. But he then realized that he needed to say something to Cho, something that she deserved. He turned his head, and said "I'm sorry, Cho. I'm sorry for interrupting you. I'm sorry that I made you lose all those Quidditch matches. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I had feelings for you." 


	4. Hard Feelings

Okies, Ive started writing this story in another account with the pen name Celestina Warbeck. I will no longer update in this account, but ive uploaded this entire story plus more chapters into my Celestina Warbeck account. So how about reading it in there :) Thanx for Reading! REVIEW IN MY CELESTINA WARBECK ACCOUNT!  
  
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Increasing tension had been present in the Gryffindor common room for a week, ever since the fall out between Oliver and Harry. Although it wasn't affecting everyone directly, everyone could sense the feeling of unease. Especially towards Harry. Word had got around, and now virtually the whole school knew that Harry Potter, talented seeker, had quit. Harry had noticed that a coldness had been separating him from other students. He had realized that fellow Gryffindor's would glare at him, and that he would no longer get friendly hellos from everyone. Wood, on the other hand, had developed a brand new fan following. He had always received sidelong glances from girls, but he had always been too pre-occupied with his Quidditch to take any notice. Now that everyone knew about him and Cho Chang, Girls started to become jealous as they realized he was no longer a guy with JUST quidditch on his mind. The girls that used to follow Harry around had switched to Wood, and Harry noticed that in the corridors between classes, he could now get through without pushing past giggling crowds of girls.  
  
'Wood, Wood, have you found a new seeker yet?' A group of 1st year Ravenclaws asked in unison. Cho Chang rolled her eyes.  
  
'Nope.' was all he could say, his head turning slightly as he gave them one of his melting smiles. His eyes were drawn, and his body aching all over from three nights of no sleep. The next match with Slytherin was fast approaching and he still didn't have a seeker. He didn't want to forfeit and let everybody down, but he also didn't want to embarrass himself with an incompetent seeker. His options were running low. Yes, he had talked it over, gruffly, with a clearly uninterested Harry, he had even become so desperate at one stage he had asked Fred and George Weasley if they were willing to play seeker. But no one could measure up to the talented Potter.  
  
'Don't worry, Ol,' Cho tried to console him 'I mean, I know no one wants Slytherin to win, but you've tried your hardest, quidditch isn't everything!' A pulse went through Oliver's mind. Quidditch isn't everything? Ever since he had been selected to play keeper in the Gryffindor team, he had decided that he would be captain. He would lead his team to victory. He would have one of the best Quidditch teams ever. He had failed tests, had sleepless nights, starved, and all because of a game. And now Cho said Quidditch wasn't everything? He pushed his chair away and started to stomp outdoors. Through the corner of his tired eyes, he could see his 'fan club' following him, and he stopped, turning to face them.  
  
'Girls, please stop following me. I'm sorry, but I've got a lot on my mind at the moment.' He gritted his teeth, saying what he wanted to scream with forced politeness and a slight fake smile. The girls, all now swooning at his sensitivity, giggled happily up the stone steps to the castle. He sat himself down as the breeze cooled his drained face. He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Cho walking towards him. She sat down beside him and put her arm around his shoulder.  
  
'Oliver, I have a perfect idea!' She told him her plan, and for the first time in a week, he smiled. And he smiled sincerely. 


End file.
